Lancaster County Prison to get full-body scanner to stop influx of contraband

Lancaster County Prison to get full-body scanner to stop influx of contraband

WGAL News 8

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Updated: 7:01 PM EDT Mar 13, 2019

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>> LANCASTER COUNTY PRISON INMATES GIVE UP THEIR FREEMDO AND THEIR PERSONAL ITEMS. BUT SOME SNEAK IN EVERYTHING FROM WEAPONS TO DRUGS. >> THIS ONE IS HEROIN THIS IS SABOXONE. >> THIS IS JUST SOME OF THE CONTRABAND THAT HAS BEEN FOUND RECENTLY. HOW OFTEN ARE YOU FINDING THIS >> STUFF ALL THE TIME. >> THE PRISON WENT TO NON CONTACT VISITS. AND CHANGED ITS MAIL AND BOOK SERVICE. TO CURB THE PROBLEM. NOW IT WILL INSTALL A FULL BODY SCANNER IN THE COMITTMENT AREA. IT TAKES AN X-RAY IMAGE IN ABOUT TEN SECONDS WHICH THE COMPANY SAYS IS THE SAME AMOUNT OF RADIATION YOU WOULD GET IN A HALF HR OUOUTSIDE. >> IT CAN SEE ANYTHING I ACTUALLY SEES COMPLETELY THROUGH YOUR BODY. IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING TAPED TO YOUR BACK IT CAN SEE IT FROM FRONT. >> RIGHT NOW INMATE WHO COMES INTO THE PRISON GOES THROUGH THIS METAL DETECTOR AND IS STRIP SEARCHED. ONCE THE SCANNER IS IN PLACE ONLY INMATES WHERE SOMETHING IS DETECTED WILL BE SEARCHED. STAFF WILL UNDERGO SPECIAL TRAINING ON THE MACHINE. >> IT HAS BEEN A LONG PROCESS BUT I DEFINITELY THINK ONE WE WILL DEFINITELY SEE SURELTS IMMEDIATELY. THE WARDEN SAYS ITS AN AGGRESSIVE APPROACH TO KEEPING THE FACILITY SAFE AND SE

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Lancaster County Prison to get full-body scanner to stop influx of contraband

The Lancaster County Prison will soon get a full body scanner to help stop the influx of contraband.Inmates give up their freedom and personal items, but some sneak in everything from weapons to drugs.The prison went to noncontact visits, and it changed its mail and book service to curb the problem.Now a full body scanner will be installed in the commitment area. It takes an X-ray image in about 10 seconds, which the company that makes the scanner said is about the same amount of radiation you would get in a half-hour outside."It can see anything," said Robert Wolfe, the deputy warden. "It actually sees completely through your body. If you have something taped to your back, it will see it from the front."Inmates who currently come into the prison go through a metal detector and are strip-searched. Once the scanner is in place, inmates will only be searched if something is detected.Staff will undergo training for the machine."It's been a long process, but I think it will be one that we will definitely see results from immediately," said Cheryl Steberger, the warden.The warden said it's an aggressive approach to keeping the facility safe and secure.The prison is leasing the body scanner for about $20,000 per year. The funds will come from money made at the prison commissary.

LANCASTER, Pa. —

The Lancaster County Prison will soon get a full body scanner to help stop the influx of contraband.

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Inmates give up their freedom and personal items, but some sneak in everything from weapons to drugs.

The prison went to noncontact visits, and it changed its mail and book service to curb the problem.

Now a full body scanner will be installed in the commitment area. It takes an X-ray image in about 10 seconds, which the company that makes the scanner said is about the same amount of radiation you would get in a half-hour outside.

"It can see anything," said Robert Wolfe, the deputy warden. "It actually sees completely through your body. If you have something taped to your back, it will see it from the front."

Inmates who currently come into the prison go through a metal detector and are strip-searched. Once the scanner is in place, inmates will only be searched if something is detected.

Staff will undergo training for the machine.

"It's been a long process, but I think it will be one that we will definitely see results from immediately," said Cheryl Steberger, the warden.

The warden said it's an aggressive approach to keeping the facility safe and secure.

The prison is leasing the body scanner for about $20,000 per year. The funds will come from money made at the prison commissary.